


My love's on high, You take me home to Glory's throne

by phlebotinxm



Series: Fitzsimmons AU [3]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Sex Shop, Businessman Leo Fitz, F/M, Sex Shop Owner Jemma Simmons, Side Relationship (but not important enough to be relevant in the main tags)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-28
Updated: 2020-11-28
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:47:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,830
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27757882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/phlebotinxm/pseuds/phlebotinxm
Summary: The first time Jemma met him, she thought he’d run away from the shop in no time.She knew this type; the type that would look at her from the corner of his eyes as he stared at the displays and flew away as soon as she moved a finger towards him.In which Jemma Simmons is a sex shop owner, and Leopold Fitz is looking for something to help save his dying relationship.The rating is Mature for discussions around sex and/or sex toys, but there are no sexual scenes in this fic.
Relationships: Lance Hunter/Bobbi Morse, Leo Fitz/Jemma Simmons
Series: Fitzsimmons AU [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2030545
Comments: 10
Kudos: 44





	My love's on high, You take me home to Glory's throne

**Author's Note:**

> hello everyone!  
> (it's keptinonzebridg, I have changed my ao3 username because I didn't feel comfortable having irls find this account! sorry for the overall confusion) 
> 
> I'm back with yet another AU, because it seems like I cannot stop having the weirdest, craziest ideas when it comes to these two! 
> 
> this is unbeta'd, and english is not my first language. I'm sorry for the eventual mistakes you can find in this fic! 
> 
> as you can guess, I'm the worst at titles. this is from depeche mode's "I feel you". 
> 
> I hope you'll like this little thing, don't hesitate to let me know in the comments if you do! xx

The first time Jemma met him, she thought he’d run away from the shop in no time. 

She knew this type; the type that would look at her from the corner of his eyes as he stared at the displays and flew away as soon as she moved a finger towards him. 

She also knew that half the time, those people came back not that long after. Which he did, and the second time, as predicted, he seemed more determined —but not less nervous— to find what he was looking for, and let her pipe in at some point. 

Jemma watched him walk around the shop at first, something he hadn’t quite done the first time. The man seemed about her age, or in his early thirties at least. He was quite short, but still had a good twenty centimeters on her if she wore flats. His blonde hair was short, but Jemma could guess the hint of a few curls on the top of his head. The four (three?) days stubble he sported shaded his jaw and emphasized his jawline, and she couldn’t help but let her eyes roam appreciatively over his body. He seemed lean but muscular, something she liked in men, and she noted that her rear looked extremely squeezable. 

As opposed to what Jemma could have thought at first, he looked quite at ease with the displays and various kinds of toys and books she’d put on the shelves the second time he came around. She could see his eyes widen appreciatively at some of the mechanisms, or the hint of a grin whenever he found something he seemed to like. Eventually though, after watching him pace by himself for over five minutes, Jemma decided to step in.

“Can I help you?” she asked, trying not to be too loud. She hadn’t realized just how fascinating the toys in display could be sometimes, and she’d frightened clients more than once. 

The care she’d put into not being too discrete wasn’t enough though, as the man jumped in surprise. 

“Oh,” he whispered, cheeks turning a delicious shade of pink immediately. “I’m— perhaps?” 

Jemma immediately noted the delicious Scottish accent of his voice, her heart aching for home immediately. It had been a while since she’d last heard a proper British accent, and there weren’t that many Scottish people in New York city of all places. 

Trying to hide her glee at the revelation, she smiled. “I’ve seen you come around two days ago. Didn’t find what you were looking for?” 

The man seemed both taken aback and bashful at the revelation. “Uh, I… yeah, no. I should have asked for help, but…” He rubbed at the back of his neck nervously. Jemma couldn’t help but appreciate the way his biceps bulged, and she snapped her attention back to his face immediately. 

“It’s alright, I’m here to help, not to judge,” she said with what she hoped was a warm smile. “After all, I  _ am _ the owner of a sex shop, so I know a lot about weird looks and awkard family dinners.” 

Her joke seemed to ease the tension between them a little, and the man even let out a small chuckle. “Yeah, hmm. I can imagine.” 

“So now that it’s out of the way… what can I help you with?” 

The delicious shade of pink was back on the man’s cheek, and Jemma realized the color suited him extremely well.

“I don’t… I don’t exactly know.” The shame that laced his words made Jemma frown. 

“It’s okay to be a bit lost,” she said as she mentioned around. “There are a lot of things, and I’m here to help. Maybe you could tell me why you came here in the first place? Are you looking for something for yourself? A girlfriend, boyfriend?” 

Although the flush on his face seemed to fade a little bit, the man seemed pretty uncomfortable with the questions still. 

“I’m only asking to be able to help,” Jemma emphasized gently. “No judgment here, I promise. This shop is a judgment free zone.” 

The confession tore a laugh out of the man’s throat. “Alright.” He looked around a little bit, his gaze falling on the vibrators before snapping back to her face. “I think… I’m looking for something for my girlfriend. Our sex life is great, or at least I think it is? But lately I’ve felt like she wasn’t enjoying it as much as she used to, and I tried to ask her what I could do, or change, but she didn’t say anything. So I thought… I thought maybe spicing up our sex life with toys could be a good thing. Maybe it would change our routine, or simply add some unknown variables into the mix. It’s a good thing, right? To spice things up.” 

The honesty in his voice immediately put Jemma at ease. Many men strode in her shop and disregarded her advices and inputs because they thought they knew better, which was the very reason they found themselves looking for something to spice up their sex life in the first place. Jemma frequently bit back the need to tell them that communication would please their partners better than a new dildo, but she found that her sales went up a lot more whenever she didn’t play the couple's counselor on the side. 

Taking her silence as an invitation to keep talking, the man waved his hands around nervously. “I mean, I  _ am _ satisfied with our sex life but I’m not against trying new things for her comfort. Sex shouldn’t be about one person and one person only, and I’m a modern man, I do know about sex toys and how much they can help some couples.” 

By the time he finally closed his mouth shut, Jemma was smiling from one ear to the other. “Sir,” she said, “I think I have exactly what you need.” 

“Fitz.”

“Uh?” 

“No Sir,” he repeated. Jemma watched with fascination as he switched from the anxious man that had been babbling about sex right before to a gentler, more confident version of himself. “Just Fitz. If you’re going to save my couple, you definitely don’t have to call me Sir.”

Her smile widened. Definitely a keeper. “Alright, Fitz. Follow me?”

* * *

“So, Fitz came by your shop last week, right?” 

Jemma swallowed around her mouthful of sushi with a puzzled look. “What?” 

“Fitz?” Daisy repeated. “Small dude, pretty cute I guess, Scottish? I would have thought you’d remember him.” 

Daisy had always been pretty good at reading Jemma, something she was quite proud of and liked to gloat about. Which was why Jemma held back the slight smile she could feel trying to stretch her lips already. She’d spent almost an hour walking around the shop with Fitz the week before, asking him questions about what exactly he was looking for —he had no idea, but at least he was open to her suggestions and genuinely interested in her advice— and showing him different toys. He’d gone with a pretty simple toy, a vibrating egg she personally loved, and he was practically bouncing with glee when he left her shop. When the door had closed behind him in a small familiar sound, she’d realized that she’d been incredibly grateful that no one had walked in when he was there, because she’d truly had a lot of fun showing him around. 

“I do,” she eventually said, eyes never leaving the sushi she meant to grab with her chopsticks. “Remember him, I mean. But how do you even know this guy? I’ve never heard you talk about him before.” 

Daisy shrugged. “I don’t know him that much. It’s one of Hunter’s friends, actually.” 

Daisy’s brother in law, Hunter, was the type of guy that knew all of Brooklyn. “Bobbi knows him, too?” Jemma asked in surprise.

“Yeah. Adores the guy, actually. Treats him like a little brother.” 

Bobbi’s parents had adopted Daisy when she was just a kid, and the two had immediately grown extremely close. They had both met Hunter when Bobbi attended med school and Daisy was her roommate through college, and Bobbi’s in and out relationship eventually led to a wedding no one expected. Nonetheless to say, as much as they both liked Hunter —who wasn’t so bad, when he wasn’t so close to divorcing Bobbi for the fourth time a year—, they trusted Bobbi’s judgment a lot more. 

Jemma frowned. “Really? I’ve never heard about him. You would have thought they’d introduce us, the both of us being British and all.” 

She thought she’d done a good job in covering her annoyance, but all hopes were lost when Daisy suddenly stopped chewing, looking up at her through squinted eyes. “Why the sudden interest in him anyway?” 

“Sudden interest? You were the one who brought him up!” Jemma gasped in outrage. “I literally never mentioned the guy until you brought him up.”

“Yeah, and you’ve been looking like you’ve swallowed wasabi ever since!” 

Jemma huffed, refusing to reply to that. 

“Anyway,” Daisy gritted, raising an eyebrow at Jemma. She knew she wouldn’t get away with this in a million years. “I was merely asking because Bobbi asked me about it. Something about her telling Fitz to go to your shop or something? I hear there’s trouble in paradise with the missus.” 

She put her own chopstick down to swallow a mouthful of water, leaving Jemma to digest the information. All Fitz had told her was that he was trying to spice things up in the bedroom, but Daisy made it sound like there was something more underneath. Hating herself for asking, Jemma feigned disinterest as she kept going. 

“Oh yeah? Well. I don’t really know, all he told me was that he was trying to spice things up a bit, you know.” She shrugged, internally slapping herself for that. She  _ never _ shrugged. “Good old routine and all that.” 

Daisy’s eyebrows raised at the gesture. “Uh uh? Well. Seems like it’s a bit more than that.” 

She nodded at the waiter as he snooped around to get their plates, thanking him with a small smile. 

“Bobbi hates her guts anyway,” Daisy confessed with a frown. 

“Her?”

“Fitz’s girlfriend, Ophelia. He’s been with her for a long time, from what I gathered. Around two years? I think they knew each other from college or something. Anyway, she works at Hammer Industries, so you can see how ‘big’ her ego can be. According to Bobbi, she’s insufferable, too.” Grabbing the desert menu, Daisy let her eyes fall on it before she kept going. “Bobbi says she never deserved Fitz, which I kind of agree on. Mind you, I’ve only met the dude once or twice because I never seem to be around when he is, but he seemed like a very nice guy. And I trust Bobbi’s judgement anyway.” 

As her eyes fell on the menu that had been deposed on her side of the table, Jemma realized that she wasn’t quite hungry anymore. And later on as she watched Daisy bite into her mochis, she wondered if a vibrating egg would be enough to fix things between Ophelia and Fitz. 

Pushing those intrusive thoughts to the side, she smiled up at her friend when she eagerly started to tell her all about her latest date, ignoring the sad feeling in her stomach and the weird tingling in her fingers. 

* * *

The second time —or third, technically— that Fitz came around the shop, Jemma was physically incapable to hold back her genuine smile. 

“Fitz!” she exclaimed as he walked in, the little bell of the door making a cheery sound as it closed behind him. 

He was rubbing his hands together to keep them warm, and Jemma’s eyes narrowed on his nice fingers for a second. With the cold wind of New York’s winter, his cheeks were a little red for a whole different reason than the previous time, and he’d hidden his hair under a dark grey beanie that shouldn’t look that adorable on a grown man. 

“Hello again,” he replied almost timidly. Jemma found the sight hilarious, as he walked by the enormous anal plugs and behaved with so much apparent shyness. 

“Just finishing up with the ladies and I’m all yours,” she said as she mentioned the two college girls standing in front of the counter, giggling like school girls as they played with the new toys displayed. Fitz nodded in acknowledgement, immediately turning around to give them some privacy, eyes falling on the shelves closest to him. 

She walked behind the counter with a smile, cashing the cock ring she was handled. The tallest girl was still giggling by the time she thanked them for their purchase and disappeared through the door.

“So, what brings you here here this time?” 

Fitz wasn’t as surprised as he’d been the first time when Jemma sneaked up on him, simply looking up from where he was staring at a dildo intensely. “Oh, hmm…. the same thing, actually.” 

This time, Jemma was certain it wasn’t the cold outside that colored his skin. “Yeah? The egg didn’t work?” 

“Actually, it did! It was great, thank you for your great advice.” 

“But…?” 

Fitz winced. “But I feel like it’s not gonna be enough. I mean, she was pleasantly surprised, but there wasn’t… You know this spark that we have at the very beginning of a relationship, when you’re still learning the other person’s body and discovering what makes them tick?”

Jemma knew exactly what he was talking about. Her throat was a little dry when she nodded her assent.

“I do, actually.”

“Well, that’s what's missing.” 

Looking up at his baby blue eyes at this very moment, Jemma knew she was about to step onto the very thin line that was drawn between professional and personal advice. “Can I be honest, Fitz?” 

If Fitz was surprised by the question, he didn’t show it on his face. “Of course.” 

“Sometimes, communication is the best aphrodisiac. I know it’s not always comfortable, especially if the people involved are in a tight spot or if life gets in the way more often than not. But it truly is. I could sell you half of the shop here,” she gestured around her, “and it wouldn’t fix things if you two don’t manage to communicate. Now, that being said… Perhaps those sparks simply moved on to become something else.” 

Fitz seemed puzzled. His brows were drawn out tight as he looked at her as if she was a math puzzle to be solved. “What do you mean?” 

“I mean that there is beauty in routine, too. There is trust, and love, and honesty. And maybe it’s not as passionate as the first times, because you know the skin you’re uncovering and what the person with you wants precisely, but there’s so much beauty in it too. Because you are two human beings who decided to share something as special and intimate, and toys can never replace that feeling.” 

She hadn’t missed the way his eyes had slightly glazed over when she’d spoken of trust and love, but Jemma bit back the questions burning her lips. She’d already been way too friendly with a client she didn’t personally know, and the last thing she needed was to cross a line she’d already danced on. 

Fitz seemed to deflate. His shoulders shagged, and he broke their eye contact to lower his gaze to the floor. “I know that.” His voice was tired, a little raspy. “I know it, but it’s a little hard to take a step back from your own relationship sometimes.” 

Jemma nodded. She didn’t know what to say, partially because she knew how true this was. It had been a while since she’d had any serious relationship, but she did miss the intimacy of it sometimes. However, she remembered how badly things could go sometimes.

“Hey, listen. I’ve got something that might be able to help, actually.”

She led him to the massage oils and lube section of the shop, amused to see how curious and confused he was. 

“This is a vibrating lube,” Jemma explained as she grabbed one of the bottles, mentioning for him to hand out his hand. “It’s made with acmella oleracea, which has been used in medicine for centuries. It’s comestible, tastes like red fruits, and one single drop can bring the heat up, both figuratively and literally.” 

“What does it feel like?” Fitz asked, rubbing some against the back of his hand. She sensations seemed to take him by surprise, because his eyes widened comically as soon as he felt it.

“It feels like it vibrates, actually. All you can probably feel right now is how hot it gets, especially with your cold hands. But it heightens your sensibility and creates a sort of tingling sensation that’s very nice, trust me. You can put it on her clit or breasts, depending on what she likes most. You can even put some on yourself, if you feel adventurous.”

The delicious blush was back on Fitz’s cheek as he stared the bottle, then looked down at his hand. “So this heightens sensations…”

“But it’s not as invasive as a toy,” Jemma finished for him. “Which could be great for the both of you, wouldn’t it?” 

Fitz’s smile was more genuine this time, as he looked up at her and nodded eagerly. “Yes, I think it’s perfect.” 

When he added a warming lube and a cock ring to the mix, bouncing on his feet a little shyly, Jemma willed the warm feeling in her stomach to stop. And if she applied a small reduction to his basket, it was no one’s business but her own.

* * *

“So, Jemma. I heard that you’ve met Fitz?” 

Words seemed to travel fast, Jemma wanted to reply as she stared at Daisy from above her glass. The other woman looked innocent enough to be suspicious, and sure enough, her eyes eventually dropped to her drink as she swallowed heavily. She’d never been able to win a staring contest with Jemma for the entire duration of their friendship, and it seemed like today wasn’t the day she would for the first time. Bobbi looked between the two curiously, shifting her weight so that she was leaning against the bar. 

“I did, actually.”

Bobbi raised an eyebrow. “How did it go?” 

“Why are you all so interested in how things went with Fitz? It went well. He’s a nice guy, seems like a nice partner as well.” Jemma shook her head, taking a sip out of her drink. The cold liquid tickled her senses as it slid down her throat, 

The snort that left Bobbi’s throat made Daisy smile. “That he is. Buys that bitch way too many things for what she gives him. Did you know that he took her to Bali for their anniversary? And she couldn’t even be bothered to remember his birthday.” 

“He did not!” Daisy exclaimed, her voice turning into an awe whisper, “damn, how much does he earn a year? A trip like this must be expensive as fuck.” 

“He makes good money, let me tell you that. He works at Stark Industries, he’s actually their chief engineer.” 

Jemma’s eyes widened at the confession. “He’s an engineer?” She so desperately wanted to ask more, to know what exactly he was doing and how he’d gotten there, but there was no way to do so without raising her friend’s suspictions. Daisy and Bobbi exchanged a curious glance anyway. The latter squinted her eyes at Jemma, while Daisy brought her drink back to her lips with a knowing smirk. 

Behind her, the waiter kept on throwing her looks he surely hoped were discrete, but there was no way she hadn’t noticed. Judging by the way she tilted her head to the side and let her long hair caress the ends of the bar, she wasn’t exactly opposed to getting his number if he found the courage to come give it to her.

“Yeah, he doesn’t have as many PhDs as you do but I know he’s got one. Hunter teases him about it all the time.” 

Jemma rolled her eyes at Bobbi’s words. “I don’t have ‘many’, I have two!” 

“Okay, Miss I  _ only have two PhDs _ ,” Daisy chuckled. “Now tell us more about that girlfriend of his. I wanna have something to hate on while I finish my drink.” 

Jemma’s ears perked up at that. She wasn’t one to deny a good girls’ night, after all. Daisy had suddenly decided that it had been a while since they’d gone out between sisters —something that made Jemma’s chest warm up everytime she mentioned her being as much of a sister as Bobbi to her— and they’d agreed upon their favorite bar. It was just down the road from Jemma’s shop, which meant she knew the owners, and had a London pub vibe that made her heart ache with how much she missed home. Bobbi and Daisy were waiting for her when she’d closed her shop a few hours earlier, and they’d headed down to the bar straight away.

The mozzarella sticks they’d ordered had been eaten in no time, and they’d switched to drinks not long after. From this moment, everything had turned into a typical girl’s night Jemma absolutely adored, up until the point when they’d mentioned the person Jemma so desperately tried to stop thinking about these days. 

“Well, not much to say besides the fact that she’s a bitch, really.” Bobbi waved at the waiter for a refill, and he ran over immediately. Her long blonde hair and angelic curves always worked like a charm, but as the waiter glanced towards Daisy as he filled her drink, Jemma realized Bobbi was definitely not winning this one. “She never deserved Fitz, even back when they started dating. She’s gorgeous, I’ll give you that, but more in a cold way. Honestly, she’s so cold I sometimes feel like he’s dating a soulless robot.” 

Daisy snorted. “Well, why don’t you tell us how you really feel.” 

“You asked!” 

“Have they been together for a long time?” Jemma interrupted, sensing the argument between the two sisters coming. She’d witnessed enough of them to know that it generally ended up in too many drinks and stupid dares. 

Bobbi seemed to think about it for a moment. “A little over two years I think? They got together when me and Hunter wanted to divorce.”

Both Jemma and Daisy shuddered at the memory. As much as Bobbi and Hunter loved each other —and they did, in their very own and special way— things had always been chaotic between the two of them. They’d been on the verge of a divorce way too many times, but two years ago had been the closest they’d ever gotten to really signing the papers. The both of them had been miserable for months before they’d made up, and when no one really knew what had caused such an outburst and what had stopped it, it still was one of the hardest Jemma remembered for the both of them. 

Before Daisy could reply though, Bobbi’s phone went off. She brought it up to her face curiously, reading the text message she’d just gotten, and Jemma’s heart quickened when she saw her friend’s face fall. “Everything alright?” 

“Unfortunately not,” Bobbi replied through clenched teeth as she unlocked her phone, typing a reply to the mysterious text almost immediately. “It’s Hunter, and I have to go.” She looked up, silently begging her friends to understand, “Fitz needs me. He came home early from a business trip and found Ophelia in bed with one of her colleagues from work. I hate to do this but…”

“He needs you,” Daisy finished for her. Jemma emphasized with a strong nod. “Go see him.” 

Ignoring the way her stomach clenched unpleasantly, Jemma wrapped her arms around her friend and hugged her goodbye, watching her walk out of the bar with a frown. 

“What are you thinking about?” Daisy asked eventually, her face impassive as she looked at her friend. 

Snapping her attention back on her, Jemma sighed. “I feel a little sad, you know? I don’t know the guy, or not much anyway, but he seemed like a very nice person. I said he needed to speak to her to make things right between them the last time he came by the shop, but turns out she was probably cheating on him all along.”

Daisy’s eyes were full of understanding when Jemma looked up. “I know how much you care, Jemma. But this isn’t your fault. If anyone’s, it’s that bitch’s fault. Fitz is a great guy, and I’m sure he’ll bounce back in no time.” 

Later that night, as Jemma had refused a third drink and nudged her friend towards the bartender —she’d found out his name was Trip, and he seemed very nice— she watched with a small secretive smile as her friend gently flirted with the man. Daisy was obviously interested, judging by the way she nervously played with her fingers against the side of the bar, and Jemma knew what she had to do. Kissing her friend on the cheek when Trip was busy serving someone else, all the while never taking his eyes off Daisy, she bid her a good night and walked out. After making sure Daisy was okay with staying on her own, she was more than happy to let her friend enjoy her night out properly. 

As she walked home, loving the sensation of the cold winter air on her face, Jemma spared another fleeting thought to Fitz. She hoped he truly was going to be okay. 

* * *

Two and a half months later, Jemma was proud to say that she didn’t think about Fitz as much as she used to. She wouldn’t exactly say her little crush was under control, but she’d gotten better. Jemma usually never found herself as interested with anyone that quickly, but when her life had been bare of any Scotsmen before she met Fitz, it seemed like everything was about him since he’d walked into her shop for the first time. Suddenly, Fitz was Daisy and Bobbi’s favorite subject of conversation, and she’d learned so much about him in the last few weeks that she was practically sure she could win a Fitz trivia night if they ever did one. 

The last she’d heard of him was from Bobbi’s mouth, a few days prior. He’d taken a few days’ leave from work, last she’d heard, and tried to find a new place by himself. So Jemma got back to her daily life, trying very hard not to think about him as she put Christmas decorations around the shop, humming to herself. The day was a slow one, but she knew Christmas shopping usually got a little crazy as soon as December rolled around. 

“Well, that’s a vision I’m surely not going to forget anytime soon!” 

Jumping a little at the familiar voice, Jemma turned around. Her hands went straight to her hips as she found herself face to face with Hunter, his smile as annoyingly cute as she remembered from the last time she’d seen him. 

“Hello love,” he said as he walked inside completely, closing the door behind him. The cold airflow that had followed him inside made her shiver from head to toes, and she rubbed her arms through her thick sweater. 

“Hello Hunter. Long time no see!” 

With a small and familiar chuckle, he bounced forward and hugged her tight. “Too long, really.” 

“What are you even doing here?” 

Lance pulled back and looked around. “I wanted to see the new decorations!” Jemma’s unamused glare made him sigh in defeat. “Alright, alright. I’ve come by because it’s my and Bobbi’s anniversary soon, and I thought I could find what I need here.” 

Jemma wrinkled her nose a little. “You do know there are things I don’t want to know about my friends, right?” 

“Oh come on love, I know you do a lot worse when you’re alone on girls’ nights. You won’t get any pity from me here.” 

This time, Jemma couldn’t hold back her sly grin. “Alright, I’m listening.” 

There was very little she didn’t know about Hunter and Bobbi’s sex life. First because as he’d guessed, their girls night were spent babbling about many things, including their sex lives, and second because it wasn’t the first time either of them came by the shop to buy a little something for each other. Jemma didn’t mind, really. She was more than happy for her friends, and as a sex shop owner, she’d never been shy with her sexuality or other people’s. 

“I’ve just received a new toy she could like, actually.” 

She liked how open Hunter was to everything she always proposed. When some men tended to feel threatened by the idea of including a toy in their sex life, especially when it was more designed for their girlfriend’s pleasure than their own, Hunter always followed her advices avidly. His and Bobbi’s sex life was great, and mostly because they never shyed away from new experiences and knew each other and their dirtiest secrets by heart. 

“It’s called the womanizer,” she said as she led him to the newest arrivals section. “The only default it’s got is how non-inclusive the name is, actually.” She grabbed the one she’d put on display, waving it at him before pushing the flat of her palm against it, turning it on. “I remember her telling me how much she liked the magic wand you got her, right?” 

“Oh that she does,” Hunter replied with a proud smirk. “We always have so much fun with that one. Is it a new version?” 

“Actually no. It’s a stimulator, but this one has no direct contact with the clit, which makes it even more enjoyable because it’s a sort of suction effect.” 

Hunter’s eyes seemed to gleam at the revelation. “Alright love, you got me interested.” 

“It’s also extremely silent, not that any of you would care about that I guess. And the moment it’s not in contact with the skin anymore, it stops vibrating on its own.” As she talked, she took it away from her palm, the device turning off immediately on its own.

“Kinky.” 

As it turned out, Hunter didn’t need much convincing. He led Jemma through the sections he knew but too well —lube, cuffs ( _ “we kind of broke ours, okay?” _ ) and stimulating gels— and she resisted the urge to roll her eyes when his gaze caught on the new lingerie. 

“You know this is more for you than her,” she reminded him, “plus I know for sure that she’s bought a new set not that long ago. Maybe if you make sure to help with the dishes for once and clean the house, you might just see it a little early.” Hunter let out a small gasp, and she sighed. “Now pick your jaw off the floor and come pay for what you take, I have a job to do.” 

She walked behind the counter as he laughed, putting the packages he’d collected in front of her. As he started playing mindlessly with the keychains she’d put on the cash register, looking at her from the corner of his eyes, Jemma braced herself for the questions she felt coming. 

“So… A little bird told me you met my mate Fitzy?” 

Jemma exhaled. “Incredible. Why is everyone so obsessed with me meeting Fitz?” She threw her hands up, shaking her head as she did so.”I’m gonna tell you what I told your wife and her sister. Yes, Fitz did come by two times, I advised him regarding what he was looking for and he bought me various things before going his way.” 

Hunter hummed. “Yeah, I know. He told me he was looking for something to patch things up with Ophelia, and I’m the one who sent him here, actually.” Jemma looked up at him in surprise. “I know… I know sex toys and sex in general don’t fix everything up, obviously, but I know Fitz is a sensible guy. If there was a problem on the emotional side, he would have fixed it long before he came to me of all people for help. So I advised him on the other side of a relationship, the one I know well, and that’s how he ended up coming here.” 

Jemma glared at the cash register so hard she ended up seeing white spots dance in front of her eyes. 

“I tried to help,” she finally whispered. Feeling her voice weaver, she cleared her throat. “I tried to help him, gave him a few pieces of advice, but I had no idea... I had no idea how bad it was.” 

“Don’t worry about that, love. I don’t think any of us knew how bad it was,” Hunter confessed with a tired sigh. “I can’t believe she did that to him.” 

“Bobbi sort of knew, though.” 

Hunter snorted. “Yeah, well. That woman is part hell beast, of course she knew something was up.” 

Jemma rolled her eyes. Grabbing one of the keychains, she threw it at Hunter’s face, delighted by the laugh she tore out of him. She’d known Hunter long enough to know that he was more affected by the situation than he let out. From what Jemma had gathered, Hunter and Fitz were pretty close, and she knew Hunter’s tendency to blame himself for things that were out of his control. 

“He’s gonna be okay,” she said eventually. “You know that, right? He’s got you, and Bobbi. He’s gonna be okay.”

Hunter's smile was a little less sad when he looked up at her. “I know.” 

That night, when Jemma received a small text from Bobbi that read  _ “my clit decidedly loves you” _ , she couldn’t help but snort into her tea. 

* * *

It was another month before Jemma got to see Fitz again. She was with a client when she heard the doorbell go off, and she waved behind her without turning around. 

“I’ll be right there!” she called, smiling through gritted teeth. It was the fourth toy she was showing her client, and she’d spent twenty minutes before that convincing him that she  _ did _ know what she was talking about. 

The man eventually settled on a pretty basic glass looking dildo, and Jemma was too happy to finally get rid of him to even bother telling him she had other, cheaper and much better ones in store. And when she turned around to cash the man, she finally caught sight of Fitz, her breath catching in her throat. He was standing by the door, hands deep in the pocket of his pants, and Jemma had to blink several times to make sure he was truly there. It was a little bit early for a Christmas miracle, but she had to make sure either way. When he caught her staring, his face spread in a grin and he waved at her awkwardly. 

“I’ll be right there,” Jemma repeated softly, waving back. Her cheeks felt like they were suddenly on fire, and her stomach jumped with glee. She hadn’t quite realized how much she’d missed seeing him until he was standing right there in front of her. 

Luckily for the both of them, the previous client didn’t fester, and soon enough they were left all alone in the small shop. 

“Hi,” Fitz said when silence stretched on between the both of them. “I’m… hi.” 

Jemma couldn’t help but let out a small chuckle at that. “Hi, Fitz. It’s good to see you again.” 

His grin seemed to grow at the revelation and Jemma realized, not for the first time, how handsome he was. It was 3 in the afternoon, and he seemed like he’d just gotten out of work. The suit and tie he was wearing looked like it had been handmade just for him, sticking to his body and making him look like a businessman straight out of her most crazy daydreams. His hair was longer than the last time they’d seen each other, and she realized that she quite liked the mop of curls on top of his head. 

“I like the new hair,” she confessed when it was clear that neither of them dared to speak first. “The curls… they look nice.” 

Fitz chuckled, a little bashful. “Really? I don’t think it looks professional enough, but they don’t seem to mind that much in the lab.” 

“Screw professionalism, then. It looks good, that’s all that matters.” 

When Fitz threw his head back and laughed, Jemma realized it was the first time she heard the cheerful tone of his voice. She couldn’t tear her eyes away from the length of his throat, swallowing heavily and averting her gaze when she realized she was staring.

“Thank you.” 

“You’re welcome.” She took a deep breath, gathering some strength to keep going. “What can I do for you today, Fitz?” 

His face fell a little, and all the confidence he seemed to have gathered entering the shop dissipated in an instant. As he shifted his weight from one foot to the other, Jemma could see how much he fought not to flicker his fingers against his thigh anxiously. 

“I’m not here to buy anything, actually. But hmm… I guess you already know that.” He rubbed the back of his neck, wincing a little bit. “Turns out Hunter is a lot more chatty when he’s had a few beers, and he told me Bobbi told you everything.” 

Jemma furrowed her nose. “Ah, yeah. Sorry about that. I guess our friends are noisier than I expected. I didn’t mean to pry, I swear. It all just… happened, I guess.” 

“It’s alright.” Taking a step forward, Fitz inhaled slowly. “Listen, I wanted to thank you for helping me out so much before. I know it’s your job, but I also know you were the first one not to be incredibly invasive or judging when I mentioned our issues. It means a lot to me.” 

“Oh, Fitz. Of course, you don’t have to thank me for any of it. I’m just sad it didn’t work out in the end.” 

Fitz averted his gaze. 

“Well, I’m not.” 

Jemma’s heart did a weird little jump. “You’re… not?” 

“Nah, not really. I mean, neither of us were really happy together, I just had to realize it.” He made a face, and Jemma bit back a smile, “I just wish it hadn’t taken me walking on her cheating on me but… we can’t have it all.” 

“Yeah… I can imagine how that must have been unpleasant.” 

Silence stretched between the two of them for a moment. 

“Is there anything else you needed?” Jemma asked eventually  _ Please say yes,  _ she thought. 

“Dinner,” Fitz blurted out. 

Jemma blinked. “What?” 

All the blood seemed to drain out of his face at once. Jemma was two seconds away from asking if he needed some help, before he started speaking again. 

“I was there to ask you for dinner,” he whispered. His cheeks were flaming red, and Jemma realized that hers probably matched the exact same shade. “But only if you want, of course. I don’t… You don’t have to accept.” 

As she looked at the man in front of him, nervously drumming his fingers against the shelf he was leaning on, Jemma felt her lips stretch into a smile. His baby blue eyes looked deeper than the Pacific ocean, and for the first time since he’d walked in the shop, they were naked of the longing she’d seen there before. 

“You know, Fitz,” she eventutally said, “only you and I could talk about sex toys before we even had a first date.” 

Fitz let out a slow, almost relieved exhale. “I don’t think Hunter will ever live that down,” he confessed. 

The smile that twisted his lips made Jemma laugh. “I don’t think so either. Do you think we can brave it, though?” 

“You know what?” Jemma whispered, “I’ll do my best to power through.” 

That night, for the first time in years, Jemma Simmons closed her shop early. And hours later as she lay next to Fitz on her king-size bed, sweaty and grinning from ear to ear, she realized it had probably been the best date she’d been on in years. Playing with the patches of blonde hair covering Fitz’s torso, she spared a look at her bedside table, in which she’d stored a few of her latest arrivals. 

“Next time,” she mumbled against Fitz’s throat, his baby blue eyes fluttering open in confusion. 

“Wha’?” 

She kissed the pulse point in his neck, closing her eyes when he tightened his arms around her waist and wriggled a little closer. 

“Nothing.” 

She was ridiculously excited at the mere idea of showing Fitz exactly how much fun toys could be, and not only as a very last resort. 

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> can you believe I've written a whole ass sex shop AU and didn't even write a smut??? I barely recognize myself anymore.
> 
> ... but you know what? I'm already considering writing a second part, because I've had SO much fun writing this small thing! 
> 
> \--
> 
> you can find me on twitter if you'd like, I have a fanfiction related account (@/phlebotinxm) or you can find me on my main, general account (@/keptinonzebridg)! xx


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